Much of the love that adults have for Halloween is due to nostalgia for the Halloweens of our youth. We remember the fun times we had running around in our costumes and getting our favorite candy from family, friends, and neighbors. That's where today's post comes in.
Here are a few homemade family films of Halloweens gone by. They are sure to take you back to your own Halloween experiences as a child, even if you grew up in a different era than the ones depicted here.
First up, a fun family Halloween gathering from 1977. That ghost is sure giving it his all in the role!
From the same year, this footage was taken at an elementary school.
And the same school three years later in 1980.
I love these! They truly represent what it is we love so much about Halloween. You can enjoy more of these at my article from last year.
Tomorrow--is it! Halloween 2017! Be there or be scared!
It's the last weekend before Halloween! AUGH! Make it a great one! Hopefully you can start by watching the last full length program I have for you this year, the 1982 slasher film Trick or Treats.
Trick or Treats involves an escaped madman searching for his ex-wife and son on Halloween night. The mom is out for the night, and the son is at home with a babysitter. The son is a holy terror, playing prank after prank on the hapless sitter. Meanwhile, the deranged father gets closer and closer to the house.
To be honest, in the research I did for this movie, I came across some less than stellar reviews. But I've decided to feature the movie anyway for two reasons:
1) The son actually does play some cool, Halloweeny pranks.
2) David Carradine.
Although this isn't the goriest of slasher flicks by any measure, viewer discretion is still advised. Enjoy! And have a great Halloween weekend!
With October 31st mere days away, I'm running out of both time and material. So today I just want to give you a few small treats that I think you will enjoy that may not necessarily warrant a blog post unto themselves. Consider these items Halloween hors d’oeuvres to tide you over until the full course of
Halloween night. Let’s get to it!
By the way, I had to Google how to spell “hors d’oeuvres.”
See how much I love you fine folks?
First up: the Muppets’ own Dr. Bunson Honeydew and Beaker go
ghost hunting—with hilarious results!
Next, here is an adorable video about how to greet deaf or hard-of-hearing trick-or-treaters this season!
Here is the recording of the great Vincent Price's voiceover for Michael Jackson's Thirller without the music, plus with extra text that didn't make it into the single. You really get to hear how amazing Price's work is on the song--not that you couldn't tell that with the music. This is further evidence that Vincent Price was the ultimate pro!
You've never heard the theme from Alfred Hitchcock Presents until you've heard it played on the banjo!
Here is a fun TV promo for the much beloved 80s horror series Tales From The Darkside!
Speaking of TV promos, I can't let a Countdown to Halloween season go by without mentioning It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown at least once!
Finally, here is by far the most bizarre and graphic clip I have for you today. This is John Carpenter's The Thing as recreated with characters from the foreign children's program Pingu the penguin. Even if you're not familiar with Pingu--and you probably aren't--you should find this both disturbing and hysterical! VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED!
I apologize for not posting anything yesterday, but I have a good excuse. My daughter celebrated her Confirmation yesterday (it's a Catholic thing), and I spent the earlier part of the day preparing and the latter celebrating. Time very well spent!
But I'm back today, and this week, Tuesday's Overlooked TV (delayed by one day) is a really creepy episode of The Greatest American Hero. The series involved a high school English teacher (William Katt) entrusted with a superhero suit which gave him special powers. He was aided in his adventures by his girlfriend (Connie Sellica) and a crusty FBI detective (Robert Culp).
In this episode, detective Bill Maxwell (Culp) is possessed by a female spirit that haunts a deserted house set for demolition. It's up to superhero Ralph (Katt) to save his buddy from the spirit. This episode is a bit off the beaten path in context of the rest of the series, and although I loved this show as a kid (and still do), this episode always gave me the heeby jeebies. I hope it does for you too.
Today begins the last full week of the Countdown to Halloween. The big night is a week from tomorrow. Get your last-minute spooky fix in while you can!
Today I offer the 1977 CBS special Bugs Bunny's Howl-Oween. This is a collection of classic Looney Tunes cartoons, each with a spooky theme and perfect for Halloween. There were several such Looney Tunes specials during the late 70s and early 80s made the same way for other holidays. They certainly weren't classics the way the Great Pumpkin and Witch's Night Out are, probably because Looney Tunes cartoons were much more accessible in those days than other cartoons, but they were still welcome additions to prime time children's viewing. For a fun cartoon fix, you usually can't go wrong with Looney Tunes!
Closing out Week Three of the Countdown to Halloween is the 90-minute radio drama Sherlock Holmes vs Dracula.
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are inserted into the classic Dracula story, working, somewhat contentiously, with Professor Van Helsing to stop the famous Count. This program aired on BBC Radio 4 on December 19, 1981.
It's a bit weird to hear the rational Mr. Holmes easily accepting the presence of supernatural beings such as Dracula, but the story is so fun and well done you can put that peccadillo aside for the sake of the story.
Enjoy! Have a great weekend! And please come back Monday for the last full week of the Countdown to Halloween!
Today I feature the obscure animated TV series Little Dracula.
Little Dracula aired very briefly on Fox Kids in the fall of 1991. Thirteen episodes were produced, but only 6 aired, including an episode on Halloween. The series is based on a line of British children's books published in the 80s.
I was able to tell this was a Fox Kids series even before I looked it up; it has a Fox Kids "feel" to it. Give this episode a spin and maybe you'll see what I mean. Keep an ear out for actors Joe Flaherty as Big Dracula and Jonathan Winters as Igor and Granny.
I can't resist. I just can't! I still have so many great spooky TV commercials that they can't wait until next year. I have to share them with you now. YOLO, right?
Also, last week's installment of commercials has been one of the most visited articles I've written in a very long time. I have to give the public what they want. Thank you all for your support!
Without further ado, here are more great commercials!
For starters, in case of vampires, hope that there is plenty of Heineken beer around!
Sticking with the vampire theme, here Dracula enjoys a hearty soup with plenty of cheese!
You don't get to type that sentence very often.
Next, Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble encounter some strange visitors as they enjoy their Pebbles cereal.
Not only is the zombie in this Starburst commercial the living dead, he's also very cranky!
This commercial for a local Kia dealer isn't all that spooky, but I still love it because it at least makes the effort to acknowledge the holiday even when it doesn't have to. It some ways, those are the best Halloween commercials, because they actively try to celebrate the day by choice rather than the necessity to sell.
Same thing with this other local Kia dealer, which goes even farther with its Halloween commercial. It's hokey, it's crudely produced, it has talking dogs--I love it!
As I've said before, Snickers has some of the best Halloween/spooky commercials of all time. In this extra long example, the product shilling takes a back seat to the star of the commercial, pumpkin carver John Neill. He is excellent!
In this next one, Snickers goes in a different direction. The host of a fictional budget Halloween kids special is obviously hungry--and obviously unprofessional!
Finally, the master of horror himself, Stephen King, praises the powers of his American Express card in this classic spot (the first time I ever saw King was when I was a kid when this commercial aired).
I'm thoroughly convinced that's his real house and not a set.
This week, Tuesday's Overlooked TV features a Halloween episode of the 1980s NBC series Highway to Heaven.
A Halloween episode of Highway to Heaven, you say? Absolutely!
For those unaware, Heaven starred Michael Landon as Jonathan, an angel who traveled the country with his human friend Mark (Victor French), helping people God deemed in need of their help. In "I Was A Middle-Aged Werewolf," Jonathan comes to the aid of a young boy in an attempt to help the boy overcome his fears on Halloween. The episode is inspired by Landon's performance in his younger days in the movie I Was A Teenage Werewolf.
Welcome to Week 3 of the Countdown to Halloween. With October half over, it's time to put the pedal to the metal and shift your Dragula into second gear to the big day!
Today I present the 1981 Showtime children's special The Crown of Bogg. This was created by Paul Fusco, the creator of ALF and predates that series by several years. Two factions of trolls/gnomes/creatures/whatever are competing for rule of their people. The two contenders must bring back a cursed artifact from the human world to take reign.
Rounding out Week 2 of the 2017 Countdown to Halloween is the 1981 Japanese animated movie The Monster of Frankenstein!
The movie was created by Toei Animation and aired on Japanese television on July 27, 1981. This English-dubbed version I feature today was released on home video in the States in 1984. This version stays pretty close to Mary Shelley's novel.
Although this is an animated movie, don't think this is a family film! There is graphic violence in this version, so viewer discretion is advised!
Enjoy! Have a great spooky weekend! Happy Friday the 13th!
There's a legend in Sunnyvale, California about a ghost haunting. A ghost haunting in...a Toys R Us?
Yep!
The following clips from the 80s TV reality series That's Incredible! and the 1991 special Real Ghosts II will tell you all about it. Both shows feature late psychic Sylvia Browne. Enjoy--if you dare!
As promised, here are more spooky TV commercials to put you in that Halloween mood!
It wouldn't be Halloween without the involvement of McDonald's. Here is a Happy Meal commercial with the ever-popular McNugget Buddies!
Next, here are promos for CBS Saturday morning programs from 1981, as well as a promo for two long-forgotten Halloween specials, Bugs Bunny's Howl-O-Ween and Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile(featured previously at this blog)!
I can't let a Countdown to Halloween go by without at least one mention of the Monster Cereals. Here they are pushing their monster-sized marshmallows!
Here is a fun ad for the defunct party supply store iParty involving zombies hungry for Halloween savings!
This is an awesome TV spot from 1980 for the first Friday the 13th movie. I see commercials for horror movies all the time today, but there's something about the older ones that seem to have more...something. I don't know what, but I think you know what I mean!
Vampires are tough. Vampires are ruthless. Vampires...can be stopped by a set of Audi headlights.
This commercial was recorded off of a camera pointed at a TV screen, but it doesn't make watching this ad for Play-Doh's Fuzzy Pumper Monster Shop any less fun!
Finally, here is a great one for T-Mobile. Dr. Frankenstein can be such a condescending bore!
Even better, outtakes from that same commercial!
Maybe--maaaaaaaaaaybe--I'll have one more installment of commercials for this year. I don't want to go this well too often, but I have such a large collection this year that I may not be able to resist.
This week's Tuesday's Overlooked TV is a Halloween episode of the NBC police series Hunter.
Hunter revolved around the titular cop, a Dirty Harry for television, and his straitlaced partner. This episode's title is "Killer in a Halloween Mask." That pretty much says it all.
The first week of the Countdown is already over. Yikes! Time to get right in to Week 2 before it also becomes history!
Today I offer an installment from Disney's educational video series Mickey's Safety Club, released in 1989 and 1990. In this installment, a little girl learns about Halloween safety from the Disney gang in "Halloween Surprises."
As we approach the first full weekend of October, I've decided to make Fridays movie days during the Countdown. This week, I offer the 1972 Spanish zombie film Tombs of the Blind Dead.
Tombs concerns an undead order of knights who wreck havoc on living vacationers in Spain. You can check out the Wikipedia entry for the full description. I prefer to just dive right into the flick! The MPAA rating is only PG, but I'd still recommend viewer discretion just in case (although this American edit is supposedly much more tame than the original Spanish version).
I hope you've enjoyed the first week of the Countdown to Halloween here at Me and You. Please stay with me, there's plenty more to come!
Have a great weekend! Do Halloweeny things! Bob for apples! Drink pumpkin beer! Buy or make a costume! Carve a pumpkin!
Without the Internet, Halloween celebrations like the Countdown wouldn't be possible, so I'm very thankful for the 'Net's existence. You will be too, as you peruse the following awesome Halloween Web sites throughout the month!
First up, I can't put off mentioning the awesomeness that is Dinosaur Dracula. Site owner Matt has been counting down to Halloween since 2003 at his old site X-Entertainment, and he continues the tradition in bigger and better fashion every year at Dino Drac. Videos, junk food reviews, his music jukebox, and his wonderful writing are all the ways Matt will make you feel warm and spooky inside. Go to his site now!
If you're a big fan of Halloween music--and I know you are--check out Halloween Hits. The mysterious curator offers a great set of Halloween tunes every year at the site, which is only functional throughout the month of October. If you try to visit on September 30th or November 1st, you'll be out of luck! I suggest you rush on over and download all 14 volumes (!) of great music, ranging from hard rock to spooky standards of the 30s and 40s. You never know what you'll find!
On October 27th, CBS will air a one-hour animated special loosely based on Michael Jackson's song "Thriller," complete with an appearance by Michael in the special's finale. OK.
Some of my favorite Halloween posts of all time have been my collections of Halloween TV commercials. They're society's way of recognizing that the season is upon us. I have a large amount of creepy commercials to share with you, so I'm showcasing them in multiple posts. Enjoy part one now!
This first quick clip features a promotion by Bonkers fruit candy for a Mad Balls rip-off called Ugly Balls. 15 seconds of pure creepitude!
In this next clip, the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz meets her match in the Energizer Bunny!
Snickers is always one of the most popular Halloween candies, and they're also one of the best advertisers around. This Spanish language commercial makes excellent use of a zombie in the workplace!
This next commercial may be the most elegant one I've ever featured in the Countdown. Using Lux bath soap may save your life!
Poor Phil the Vampire. He should have chosen a more understanding partner with whom to take to dinner at Sonic!
Vincent Price appeared in countless commercials and is a Countdown staple here and at many other blogs. He always performed in every commercial as if it were an Oscar-worthy production. Here he gives it his all as the spokesman for the Milton Bradley game Stay Alive. I'd be too scared to play against him!
Finally, this commercial from Hostess snack cakes features a tween boy bullying his sister's sweet-looking doll--a choice he soon regrets!
I'll have plenty more spooky commercials for you later this month. Stay tuned!
Hello all! Today the Countdown to Halloween starts in earnest, and it also starts by participating in another multi-blog undertaking.
I occasionally take part in Tuesday's Overlooked A/V, a feature hosted by my friend Todd Mason at his blog Sweet Freedom. On Tuesdays, several of us blog about a particular movie, TV series, or other audio/visual project we believe is worth reminding readers of. This month, as I've done in past Countdowns, I will feature spooky-related programming, all with a certain theme. One year, I focused on crawling hand movies; last year, it was killer cars; and this year, it will be spooky-themed episodes of classic TV series!
This week, I feature an episode of Mork & Mindy titled "A Morkville Horror." In this episode, Mindy is selling her childhood home and is feeling wistful about it. Little does she know that the ghosts of two of her ancestors haunt the house and wish to drive away potential buyers. It's up to a frightened Mork to save the day.
WELLLLLLCOOOOOOOOME TO THE COOOOOOOUNTDOOOOOOWN TO HALLLLLLLLLLOWEEEEEEEEN!
Hi.
I am thrilled to take part yet again in this multi-blog event. All month long, I and my Halloween blogging sisters and brothers will give you thrills, chills, spills, and other words that end in "ills." You'll see spooky TV commercials, weird movies, creepy images, and all-around Halloween fun. Maybe even a surprise or two!
Be sure to check out the host site of the event, where you will find dozens of participating blogs! A hearty hallowed thanks to curator John Rozum for organizing this event every year!
I'm getting a late start considering I'm writing this at 7 o'clock at night, but better late than never. Let the Countdown to Halloween officially begin!
